Method of and apparatus for preparing closed uppers



Aug. 2, 1932.- F. D. KINNEY 1,869,482

METHOD or mm APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CLOSED UPPERS Filed March 12, 1929Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED srA'ras PATENT OFFICE TAY D. KINNEY, OF WENHAM, IIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO I J'NITED SHOE 1VJ.'A(' 1"III T- ERYCORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY METHODOF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CLOSED UPPERS Application filed March 12,1929. Serial No. 346,386.

This invention relates to the preparation of closed uppers or liningsfor use in the manufacture of rubber shoes such, for example, as rubberovershoes.

5 Two methods, among others, are practiced in the manufacture of rubberovershoes. In one of these methods a suitably shaped lining blank isdied out of friction fabric; this blank is made into a closed lining bybringlo ing its ends together and is placed, together with an insole,upon a last; the lining is lasted over upon the insole; a rubber orso-called gum vamp is placed upon the lining and v lasted over upon theinsole; the outsole is then put in place and the shoe completedincluding subjecting it to vulcanization. In

the other method a composite blank consisting of a fabric lining and arubber vamp is died out of a piece of laminated sheet materialconsisting of a sheet of fabric and a sheet of rubber; this blank ismade into a closed upper by bringing its rear ends together and placed,together with an insole, upon a last; the upper is lasted over upon theinsole, the outsole added and the shoe completed as in the first method.It will be understood that the descriptions of the two methods givenabove are not complete and that certain parts, not mentioned, such asstays, counters and toe pieces may be added to the partly made shoe,sometimes at one stage in its manufacture and sometimes at another. Inthe. practice of either method, however, it is necessary to prepare atthe start either a closed lining or a closed upper which is thenassembled, together with an insole, upon a last.

The present invention provides a method of preparing a closed upper orlining which comprises cutting out a blank of suitable shape with anopening extending longitudinally into the blank from the middle of therear edge thereof, folding the rear corner portions of the blankdiagonally over the body portion and fastening together the ad jacentmargins of the folded-over portions.

In the particular method which is described below in detail, the blankhas a straight rear edge, and the opening is a slit extending lon- 5gitudinally into the blank from the middle point of the rear edge atright angles to said "edge. Upon this blank is placed a flat form ortemplate, the outline of the rear edge of 'wliich'is a right angle withthe apex of the angle at the extreme rear longitudinal middle of theform. The form thus has at its rear end two straight edges which areperpendicular to each other. The corner portions of the blank are foldeddiagonally over these two straight. edges and the halves of the rearedge of the blank, which lie one on one side and one'on the other of theslit, are thus brought into abutting relation toclose the upper orlining. These edges are fastened together by a stay, and counters orso-called juniors are placed over the stay. The form, and with-it theclosed upper or lining, is turned over and a toe piece placed uponthetoe portion of the upper or lining. The completed closed upper orlining is then removed from the form and is ready to be placed uponalast, the slit in the upper or lining spreading apart to permit the coneof the last to protrude through it.

Inasmuch as the method is the same whether a lining oran upper is beingprepared, the

word upper will be used throughout the specification and claims as abroad term to include either an upper or a lining.

Referring now to the accompanying draw- Fig. 1 is a plan of an upperblank which may be made of friction fabric or of unvulcanized rubber orof laminated material consisting of a layer of fabric and a layer ofrubber or of other suitable material,

Fig. 2 is a plan of a form for use in closing the upper and mountingupon it certain parts such as the back stay, the counters and the toepiece, and v r Fig. 3 is a p'lan'of the form and they upper after theupper has been closed and the back stay, counters, and toe piece mountedupon it.

A blank 100 of suitable shape, such as that shown in Fig. 1, is firstdied out of sheet material. The illustrated blank has an opening in theform of a ,slit 5 extending longitudinally into it from the middle pointof the rear edge. This rear edge, in the illustrated blank, is straightbut in any event should in Fig. 1.

preferably be of such outline that the two halves 21, 23 of this edge,one on one side and one on the other of the slit 5, may be placed inabutting relation. In the practice of the method these two halves arebrought together, preferably in abutting relation, and fastened to closethe blank, the slit 5 then providing an opening the edges of which willspread apart to receive the cone of the last.

In order to bring these two halves of the rear edge of the blank intoabutting relation, the rear corner portions of the blank are foldeddiagonally, one along each of the two clotand-dash lines 7, 9 and 9, 1-1which are shown To'facilitate this folding, as well as the mounting uponthe closed blank of certain parts of the upper, there is provided" theform 12 shown best in Fig. 2. The illustrated form is a thin platesubstantially fiat except for two cylindrical handles 13 by.

grasping which the form may be readily manipulated. The outline of therear edge of this form is a right angle, the apex being at the extremerear longitudinal middle of the form. The form thus has twostraightedges 15, 17 which enclose a right angle the apex of which is at 19.

The blank 100 is placed upon a flat support, preferably upon a small padwhich in turn rests upon a bench so as to hold the blank above thebench; and then the form 12 is superposed upon'the blank with the apex19 at the middle point of the straight rear edge of the blank where theslit 5 starts. The rear corner portions of the blank are foldeddiagonally over theform and over the body porpleted upper is thenremoved from the form,

placed, together with an insole, upon a last, and the manufacture of theshoe completed in the manner which has been described above. The partsof the upper, it will be understood, contain or are composed ofunvulcanized rubber and consequently adhere firmly to one another.

The illustrated closed upper, it will be noted, has a straight back seamwhere the straight edges 21, 23 are in abutting relation. The rear endof a last is, of course, curved from top to bottom, and it might besupposed that the upper would not fit about the curved rear end of thelast; but it should be remembered that the materials of which the upperis made may readily be stretched so that the upper may be made toconform, during the lasting operation, to all the curved surfaces of thelast.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is The method of preparing aclosed upper which comprises cutting out a blank with an openingextending longitudinally into the blank from the middle of the rear edgethereof, superposing upon the blank a form the outline of the rearportion of which is a right angle with the apex of the angle at themiddle of the rear edge of the blank, folding the rear corner portionsof the blank over the form to bring the edges of the two halves of therear edge of the blank into abutting relation, applying a stay over themargins of the abutting edges, applying a counter over the stay, turningover the form with the blank upon it, and applying a toe-piece to theblank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FAY D. KINNEY.

